


The Truth's in the Bottle

by RogueWolf



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Drinking, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 03:39:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6103594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueWolf/pseuds/RogueWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When James finds Qrow drunk, he asks him why. It's a simple question, but the answer might be more than James expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Truth's in the Bottle

“I was wondering when you were going to come and get me,” Qrow slurred. He was leaning against one of the pillar posts at the top of the Academy; he was dangerously close to the edge, and James had to hold himself back from rushing over.

“Surprised you were able to get up here so easily,” Qrow said and let his head drop back so he could look at James. “Most people don’t know how to get up here.”

“I’m not most people,” James said.

Qrow snorted out laughter. “Now ain’t that the truth.” He rolled his head back front and took a long swallow from the bottle at his side. James frowned. What had happened to make Qrow drink so much?

“Did you know,” Qrow said suddenly, “I used to hate drinking. Everything tasted like shit and I didn’t get the point.” He took another swallow from the bottle and waved it in James’ direction. “Still tastes like shit, but I get why people drink it now.”

“And why do people drink?” James asked, and cautiously started moving towards Qrow’s pillar. 

“Because it makes you feel something,” Qrow said. He leaned forward and James felt his heart leap in his chest. But Qrow only rested his elbows on his knees, the bottle dangling from his fingers over the empty air. “It makes you feel all warm and tingly.” He squinted over at James, who was a pillar away by now. “What the hell kind of word is ‘tingly’ anyways? Who the fuck comes up with this shit?”

James shrugged. “I would assume that it changes on the dictates of society.” 

“Tingly,” Qrow said darkly, and James inched closer. “Anyways, people drink because it makes them feel good. They forget how empty and cold they feel inside.” He drained the bottle and tossed it behind him, ignoring the crash as it shattered against the stone. “Who cares if what they’re drinking tastes like piss, at least it does something to help.”

“Is that why you drink?” 

“What?” Qrow shot back, running a hand through his hair. “You think I drink because I like this shit?” He burst into bitter laugher. “Fuck that.” He pulled another open bottle out from the pillar’s shadow and took a gulp. 

“Then, why?” James asked. This wasn’t like Qrow. Qrow usually only drank enough to keep him tipsy, just flirting with the edge of being drunk, not **this** , whatever **this** was.

“Summer was my partner,” Qrow said, and James stared at him uncertainly, wondering where Qrow was going with this. “Everyone thought I partnered with Tai, but that’s just because we hung out a lot. Summer and I, we were a team. She was…she was the best team leader, she always knew what was going on with us, before we even said anything.” His head drooped forward. “I should have known something was going to happen.”

“Qrow, she was an accomplished hunter, there was-”

“If you tell me there was nothing I could do I swear I will throw you off this fucking roof, Jimmy.” Qrow was glaring at him, dangerous despite the glassy look to his eyes and the way he wavered back and forth. “She was _my partner_. I should have been there.”

“And you weren’t,” James said, letting no emotion seep into his voice. _“And that’s not your fault.”_

Qrow lunged at him, and James dodged, watched as Qrow spun around and had to reach a hand out to support himself. “Shut up,” Qrow seethed. His hands were clenched so tightly they were white knuckled. “You don’t know anything.”

“That’s true, I don’t know anything,” James agreed. “I don’t know anything about your team’s past, except from what you’ve chosen to share with me over the years. But that means that I know how strong Summer was, how stubborn and caring and kind she was. And I know that she would hate to see you blaming yourself over something you had no control over.” Qrow was shaking, from fury or grief, James couldn’t tell. “Do you think she’d _want_ to see you like this? Unable to even stand by yourself? What would she think,” he continued, his voice turned mocking and sharp, “if she could see you know, unable to even throw a punch? At the mercy of your opponent because you decided to drink until you’re incapable of doing anything.”

“Shut up,” Qrow said, his voice rough. “I don’t want to hear this.”

“You can hear it now, or you can hear it later, Qrow. I’m not not going to say it.” He edged closer to Qrow until he could reach out to touch him. Qrow trembled harder, and James could feel the way Qrow was holding himself in place. 

“You need to learn to accept the fact that you can’t save anyone,” James said softly, and he felt a twinge, remembered all the people he had failed. “We are hunters. Our left is not pretty, it is not glorious like the stories and songs say it is. We see things that normal people won’t; we have to make decisions that are hard, that leave us wondering if we did the right thing.” 

Qrow’s face twisted and he looked down, avoiding James’ eyes.

“I know it’s hard,” James gentled his voice even more. “I know it’s easier to blame yourself than it is to accept the fact that there’s nothing you can do. But it’s what we do, Qrow.” He wrapped an arm around Qrow’s shoulder and, when Qrow didn’t resist, pulled him into a hug, his other arm wrapping around him as well, holding him tightly. Qrow was stiff against him but as James hugged him tighter, he felt Qrow take a rasping breath and then he heard the tiniest of sobs. He reached up to cup Qrow’s head and held him tighter, letting Qrow fall to pieces against him.

**Author's Note:**

> Poor Qrow, I just want to wrap him in blankets and never let him go. 
> 
> I headcanon that the reason he drinks is because of what happened to Team STRQ.
> 
> You can find me on tumblr [here](http://roguewolfprints.tumblr.com)


End file.
